The importance of data to improve patient outcomes with bladder cancer
Bladder cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the bladder grow and divide in an uncontrolled manner. It can take different forms. It is the fourth most common cancer in Australian men with the most common symptom of bladder cancer being blood in the urine, which can occur suddenly and is generally not painful. In 2020 an estimated 3098 people in Australia will be diagnosed with bladder cancer. Radical cystectomy (bladder removal) surgery for bladder cancer is associated with significant risk of morbidity and mortality to patients. Currently there is a lack of good quality research carried out specifically in patients who underwent radical cystectomy to identify treatments or interventions that actually improve patient outcome. The ACCEPT study is a secure online collaborative multicentre cystectomy database which acts as a portal for data collection. The data obtained will allow healthcare professionals to analyse the type of interventions currently used by participating urologists and the associated outcome and complications. Subsequently, this information will be used to formulate intervention and control arms for a future randomised controlled trial. The study is led by ANZUP member Professor Dickon Hayne based at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Western Australia. To date there are 78 patients participating in the study with six other member sites and their patients in Queensland, Victoria and NSW preparing to join the study over the coming months. This is the first study of its type for bladder cancer.
36 A LITTLE BELOW THE BELT
At ANZUP’s recent Annual Scientific Meeting, Prof Hayne presented an update on the progression of the ACCEPT study: • F irst reported data from the database is being analysed; • T he range of data includes large contemporary and unselected Australian cases; • R esults compare favourably to national and international literature particularly in relation to major complications and mortality; • S upports evidence based principles of high volume surgeons and centres and adoption of best practice to improve cystectomy outcomes; • Widespread participation is encouraged to help improve patient outcomes across Australia, New Zealand and globally.
“We are delighted to have data from the ACCEPT database to analyse. Working into the future we hope to galvanise additional multicentres to make this project a truly effective tool for cancer.” Professor Dickon Hayne. The ACCEPT study has been funded by ANZUP’s Below the Belt Research Fund and more recently support has been received from the McCusker Foundation. ANZUP is extremely grateful to the McCusker Foundation for their support.
